I recently finished reading The Star Wars, the Dark Horse miniseries adapting the original script by George Lucas for Star Wars. There’s a lot to excite Star Wars fans – General Luke Skywalker is an old soldier and veteran of many battles. He sort of takes the place of Obi-wan Kenobi in many ways. Annikin Starkiller is the young Jedi, more like Luke from the movies although more brash. Antagonists include Darth Vader, which is simply the name of an Imperial general, and Prince Valorum, a Knight of the Sith.

As a Star Wars fan, I can understand how it could pique one’s interest, but in actuality, the story seems quite rough. This isn’t surprising given that it’s a comic adaptation of a rough draft of a screenplay, but it’s worth noting. In the movie trilogy, Ewoks fight back on the ground against the Imperials. Something a bit similar happens in the comics with technology-lacking natives, but it’s quite a bit more ridiculous. The relationship between the Jedi and Sith is also unclear. I suppose background on both organizations or beliefs are lacking, but come to think of it, I suppose it was the same in the original trilogy.

I don’t regret reading it, and I do think that fans of Star Wars might get a kick out of seeing a visual depiction of Lucas’ original plan, but that plan was changed for a reason.

Last night I saw Yadi Presents Gotham Vixens at the Yost Theater. It was hilarious and quite entertaining.

Batman (Mr. Snapper) and Alfred (Mr. Buddy) hosted. Poor Batman realized that the birthday card he got in the mail from the Joker poisoned him. The audience joined Batman in asking Alfred to help him find an antidote.

There were many great performers as a variety of Batman characters. One of my favorite Batman characters, Harley Quinn, (played by Dolly Danger, I think) was included in the fun. The effectively had three costumes; she started as a nurse, had a formal red dress underneath, and wore something a bit more fun under that.

I took the photo from a Snapchat. Thanks, friend!

The Joker, played by Martini Bombshell, threw signed playing cards into the audience. I got this Jack of Hearts. A Jack is almost a Joker, right?

Frankie Sin as the Penguin and Lyra La Belle as Catwoman were both great. Mercury Troy’s played an acurately cold and distant (while still entertaining) Mr. Freeze. The Scarecrow’s (Iza La Vamp) act was interesting because I mostly found myself anxiously awaiting the removal of the sack-like mask!

There was one person Batman knew couldn’t have been the one who did it. He remarked that this person had been in love with him for years.

He was talking about Robin (Tito Bonito), of course! This was easily the most hilarious act of the show, which included Robin seductively running his hands over Batman’s chest.

Once Batman realized he wasn’t poisoned and that it was just from his seven Doritos Locos Tacos he had for lunch from Taco Bell, heroes and villains put aside their differences to say good bye. It was a great evening!

The cast, as best I can determine:

Mr. Snapper

Batman

Mr. Buddy

Alfred

Frankie Sin

Penguin

Drea Dillinger

The Riddler

Fever Blister

Batgirl

Red Snapper

Poison Ivy

Iza La Vamp

Scarecrow

Mercury Troy

Mr. Freeze

Dolly Danger

Harley Quinn

Scarlett DeVille

Batwoman?

Lyra La Belle

Catwoman

Core D’luxe

Scarface

Valentina Azul

Twoface?

Martini Bombshell

The Joker

Tito Bonito

Robin

Vivienne Von Deadly

Mad Hatter

I’m not positive about who played Batwoman, and Twoface ended up not being in the show.

Today’s the 30th anniversary of the release of Ghostbusters, so I put on my uniform and set about watching my friends defeat Gozer.

They needed my help defeating Slimer, too.

Growing up, I always really loved the Ghostbusters. I had a plastic proton pack with particle thrower, a trap that opened when I stepped on the pedal, and a PKE meter. Sometimes my grandparents would ask me to come to their house to bust some ghosts. My uncle would also mail me “ghost turds.” (Lint from his laundry.) Of course, I had lots of other toys too – action figures, the Ecto-1, the Highway Haunter (a car inhabited by a ghost in the form of a giant praying mantis), the firehouse, the containment unit, and more.

Harold Ramis played Egon, directed Groundhog Day, and wrote Ghostbusters (among many other credits). His death in February was probably the first time I felt true sorrow at a celebrity’s passing. In the first movie, I noted that Janine tells Egon she has a bad feeling and believes he’s going to die. About thirty years later, Egon’s actor is the first of the Ghostbusters’ actors to pass.

A lot of fan art flew around Reddit after his passing, and these two were my favorite. I try not to look at them at them too long because I don’t like being depressed. It’s also interesting that Venkman was originally written with John Belushi in mind, but he died before the screenplay was completed. Slimer was a nod to John Belushi. I guess in this picture, Belushi and Ramis finally get to see each other again.

The recent game has a good story that can be considered a sequel to the movies. As a game, it does contain parts that I’m sure wouldn’t have been part of a movie if the game had been a film (such as fighting the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man again), but it’s still very entertaining. I don’t know if the planned third movie’s going to be good or not, but hopefully it’s great even while taking the series in a new direction!